Maybe you have never put in a garden before. Perhaps you
just bought property that has space you need, and you are ready to grow your
own fruit, vegetables, and flowers. But, the land is not prepared for this
venture. It is overgrown with weeds, and you are not sure how to begin.
There are several ways you can go about preparing the plot
for a garden. In this situation, we are going to explain the soil solarization
method. There are easier ways. You can cut the weeds down and till the soil and
remove the weeds and roots you can see. You can add herbicides and kill a good
amount of the problem which we don't recommend. But, if this is virgin soil, the weeds have very deep
rooted seeds. That method works great with solid that is used annually. Using
mulch and rotating the crops makes for a productive garden most times.
This is not one of those times. You have unused soil, and
weeds have made it their home. There are common diseases that are probably in
the soil. Prepare the soil right the first time, and you will have little to
worry about in the future.
Prepare the garden site:
Once you have selected your garden spot, the work begins.
Use a sickle or a power trimmer to cut down the weeds and wild plants that have
claimed the lot. You are looking for a site that gets good direct sunlight and
rai. Weeds like the same thing, so you can expect the weeds to be tall and
thick. Cut them as low as you can.
Your soil must be smooth as you will be covering it with
plastic during the solarization. So, after you cut the weeds down as low as you
can, use a power tiller to begin to turn the ground. Note: weeds have deep and
thick roots. A standard garden tiller will not pull them up. Use a power
tiller, even if it means you have to rent one.
Carefully remove any weed roots that you pull up. Use a
steel rake to comb through the ground. Moisten the soil. Once your land is
prepared, stretch a sheet of clear plastic over it, securing the corners with
bricks or blocks. Stretch it until it is tight and let it stay covered tightly
for about two months to kill deep weeds you may have missed. After a couple of
months of the and baking in the sun under the plastic, weeds and pathogens will
be killed. This is a good time to decide what you are going to plant and to
order your seed needs.
Now remove the plastic and replace it with landscape fabric.
Once your landscape fabric is secured, slice a hole in the
material and place your seedling in the hole. Avoid getting excess soil on top
of the landscape fabric as it will attract airborne pathogens. Continue placing
your plants allowing for enough room for each to grow properly. Your seed
specialist will tell you how far apart they need to be. Your final step will be to apply organic mulch on top of the
landscape fabric. This will allow your garden to grow properly. Note: as
the organic mulch breaks down, it may encourage weeds to grow. However, these
weeds are easily pulled up.
When the mulch is decomposed, clean it away and replace it
with fresh mulch. This procedure has prepared your lot for gardening. WIth
minimal care and tilling, cleaning, and rotating your plants (do not plant the
same plant more than once every 3-years), your garden will thrive and give you
years of pleasure.As you grow with your skills, your gardens will not include
this much work. However, like anything else, if you lay a solid foundation, you
are bound to be a success.
About Ashley Lipman
Ashley is a super-connector who helps businesses find their
audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently
writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her
efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the
industry and competition.
